Tahqiq, Takhrij, Sharh

Muhadith Zubair Ali Zai

Translated Abu Ubaydah

Translated, Checked & Additional Notes

Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari

Fasting Whilst Travelling is Optional

[50] And from the same chain of narration that “the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Was-Sallam) left for Makah in Ramadhan during the year of the conquest, and fasted until he reached al-Kadid. He then broke the fast, and so everyone else did so as well. What people used to do was act according to whatever the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Was-Sallam) had done most recently.”

Transmitted by Bukhari (no.1944) from the hadith of Malik summarised, and narrated by ad-Darimi (no.1715) from the hadith of Malik, and Muslim (no.1112) from the hadith of Zuhri.

[UNDERSTANDING FROM THE HADITH]

1) Fasting or opening the fast whilst travelling, both ways are allowed. If there is severe difficulty during travelling then it is more virtuous to open the fast otherwise it is better to fast when it is easy to do so. There is a difference of opinion between the scholars on this issue however this saying is most correct. And Allah knows best.

2) It has come in one narration that A’isha (Radi Allahu Anha) said, “O Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Was-Sallam), may my father and mother be ransomed for you, you shortened your prayers and I offered them in full, you did not fast and I fasted. He said: ‘Well done, O ‘Aisha!’ (Sunan an-Nasa’i (3/121) hadith (no.1457) and its chain is authentic) Hafidh Ibn Taymiyah’s jarh (criticism) on this hadith is rejected.

4) The Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Was-Sallam) said, “You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish.” (Sahih Bukhari: (no.1943), Sahih Muslim: (no.1121), al-Itihaf ul-Basim: (no.465)) Note: The meaning of al-Itihaf ul-Basim is this book, in which the text includes the manuscript of al-Muwatta described by Imam Abdurahman Ibn al-Qasim.